Pneumatic apparatus for handling seed-cotton



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

A. D.. THOMAS. PNEUMATIG APPARATUS FOR HANDLING SEED COTTON.

No. 418,087. Patented Dec. 24, 1889.

i Illlll (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

A. D. THOMAS. PNEUMATIC APPARATUS FOR HANDLING SEED COTTON. v No. 418,087. lzitentedl Dec. 24, 1889.

.[iZVQZiiOZf U ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ABNER D. THOMAS, OF LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS.

PNEUMATIC APPARATUS FOR HANDLING SEED-COTTON.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 418,087, dated December 24, 1889.

Application filed February 19, 1889. Serial No. 300.438. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ABNER D. THOMAS, of Little Rock, Arkansas, have made a new and useful Improvement in Pneumatic Apparatus for Handling Seed-Cotton, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This improvement when fully carried out includes a pneumatic tube or flue, an exhaust-fan, one or more gin-stands, mechanism for facilitating the delivery of the seed-, cotton into the tube or flue, a cut-0E arranged in the tube or flue in front or in advance of the exhaust-fan and adapted to direct the seed-cotton which is being drawn along the may also serve to effect the discharge of the cotton-seed from the gin-stands; and the improvement consists partly in the means for facilitating and regulating the delivery of partly' the seed-cotton into the tube or flue, in the construction of the cut-off, and partly in the means for discharging the cotton-seed, substantially as is hereinafter set forth and claimed, aided by the annexed drawings, malt to reach the case and form a practically airing part of this specification, in which- Figure l is an elevation of the improved mechanism substantially as it appears when. all the features thereof are employed, portions,

of the flues being in section; Fig. 2, a side elevation, looking toward its receiving side,

of the cutoff; Fig. 3, an edge elevation of l the cut-off; Fig. 4, a vertical section on the,

line 4 4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5, a view in perspective of the revolving portion of the cut-off; Fig. 6, a vertical section at the foot of the pneumatic tube or flue; and Fig. 7, a plan of the fan, including the end. of the cottonseed'flue. The last six named views are upon an enlarged scale. 7

The same letters of reference denote the same parts.

A, Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 7, represents the pneumatic flue. It is supposed to lead from the pointfrom which the seed-cotton is taken. The

point may be more or less remote from the position of the cut-off B, which is inserted crosswise in the flue to intercept the inflowing cotton-current (indicated by the arrow m, Fig. 1) caused by the action of the blower O, which in turn is connected with the flue A at a point farther along therein. The cutoff is essentially a case 6, connected above, where the shaft 1) is journaled therein with the flue A, and below the position of the shaft 12 having an opening Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, through which the seed-cotton is discharged from the case. The opening on the front side of the case b, with which the flue A connects, is shown at b Figs. 2 and 3, and there is a similar opening b Figs. 3 and t, upon the opposite side of the case to establish a connection with that portion of the flue A which is beyond the cut-off. The opening 19 is also above the shaft 1), and preferably directly opposite the opening 6 as shown. The case contains a peculiarly-constructed part adapted to be rotated within the case. It is composed substantially of the shaft I), provided with the vanes 17 which radiate from the shaft, and the open-work part or screen I), which is attached to the shaft toward the farther. end thereof and tight joint therewith both at the side and top of the case.

Now, a screen has hitherto been used in a seed-cotton-conveyer flue, as well as a revolving cutoff; but the novel feature mainly in the present cut-off is making the screen I) to rotate with the series of vanes. As hitherto made the screen has been a fixture, and in consequence the cotton entering the case is liable to be sucked against the farther opening 6 so as to clog a large portion of it. The cotton will encounter the screen, and by reason of the air-blast will continue to adhere thereto, and thus quite aportion of the exit b is practically closed. This both prevents the air-current from acting to advantage, and also diminishes the opportunity for the dust to escape from the cut-off into the flue beyond.

This difficulty is largely obvi ated by the use of a revolving screen such as here shown, for as soon as any portion of the screen in its revolution passes the openin g bf any cotton which may have caught thereon is loosen ed and falls through the opening b in the bottom of the case. The screen is thus cleaned at every revolution thereof, and thus the air-exhaust can be maintained to better advantage and a better outlet for the dust be provided.

The seed-cotton by any suitable meanssuch as the chutes D D, Fig. lis delivered from the cut-off to one or more gin-stands E E, which are constructed and operated in the usual manner.

F represents a flue leading from the ginstands to the blower C. It is air-tight, saving at the points f f, at which it receiv'es'th'c o'otton-seed from the gin-stands, and at its end f, where itconnects with the blower. A11 endless'belt G, Fig. 1, is arranged within the flue F for the purpose of delivering'the cottonseed from the gin-stands to the blower. The belt is carried around suitable rollers f f and it is moved by any suitable means that is, the bearings f? f 2 are in practice pulleys mounted, respectively, upon shafts, one of which extends to without the flue F. and is provided with a pulley v, to be driven from any suitable source of power. It is provided with strips g, which extend from the belt so as practically to form an air-tight joint with theshell of the flue Rand thus prevent the blower from practically drawing air from the direction of the flue F. The operation is then as follows: The blower acts to draw the seedcotton to the cut-off, which in turn in its revolution effects the transfer of the seedcotton to the gin-stands. The belt G effects the transfer of the cotton-seed to the blower, and the blower,in addition to transferring the'seed-co'tton, as described, and to drawing the dust from the cut-off farther along into the fine A, and, if desired, to and past the blower,'also acts to expel the'cottoirseed and dust to any point of delivery moreor less remote from the blower by means of an. extension of the flue A beyond the'blower. So far as the special form of cutoff is concerned, it is practicable to operate it in connectioiiwitli an air-exhaust current which is independent of any connection leading from the gin-stands for the purpose of removing the cottonseed therefrom; and, on the other hand, no special form of cut-off must be used to enable the seed-cotton to be drawn to or toward the gin stands and the cotton seed to be discharged from the gin-stands by means of a single blower. The best results, however, seem to be attained with the cut-off shown and with the single blower working as described.

Anadditionalfeature of the improvement remains to be described.

A portion of the power of the exhaust-fan is liable to be wasted by reason of a large quantity of the seed-cotton being introduced suddenly into the pneumatic tube. This difficulty is partially, if not wholly, overcome by means of a device, the preferable form of which is shown in Figs. 1 and 6.

H represents a revolving rake, whose shaft h is journaled in the foot to of the leg a of the tube A, and is provided with bevel-gear h. The leg a by means of the telescoping joint a can be lengthened and shortened, and by introducinga flexible portion a into it the leg at can be turned in any direction. The gear 71. engages with a bevel-gear '5 upon the lower end of a shaft I which at its upper end is provided with another bevel-gear that engages with a bevel-gear Fupon the shaft 1) of the cut-off. Theshaftl is made extensible at i and at 1' a universal joint is introduced into it." By this means not only ean'the rake be rotated, but it can be'operated as tl eleg a of the tubeAis moved around to reach the seed-cotton, which isusually drawn from a wagon-bed or other place requiring the use of an adjustable leg. The rake loosens and catches'the seed-cotton and carries it to be fed into the tube A at a rate which does not exceed the capacity of the tube. This rake is useful in other devices than those used in bali'ng cotton. Any other equivalent device can be substituted for the revolving rake for directing and regulating the delivery of the materialiuto the tube A.

Thepulleys shown upon the shaft 1) and the blower-shaft, respectively, are to receive belts to enable power to be transmitted and said shafts rotated when desired.

1. The combination of the pneumatic tube, a cutoff insaid tube, the blower, the ginstands, the flue leading from the gin-stands to the blower, and the carrying-belt within said'iiue,sub stantially as described.

2. The combination of the pneumatic tube, the blower, and the cut-off, said cut-off consisting substantially of a case connected with said tube and having an outlet for the seedcotton and containing a rotating valve consistin g of a shaft, varies, and screen, said screen rotating with said vanes, substantially as described. i

3. The combination of the blower, the pneuma'tictube, the cut-off, and the revolving rake, said-rake being journaled in the leg of said tube, substantially as described.

\Vitness my hand this 31st day of January, 1889.

A' NER D. THOMAS.

\Vitnesses: I

L. B. MCDONALD, B. L. 'WILLI MsoN. 

